What Are Obesity Related Health Risks?

The article concerns the following question – What Are Obesity Related Health Risks? If you are over weight you are likely to be unhappy with your condition and determined to do something about losing some pounds. But it may help to know about obesity related health risks. Although the list is long, and ever more depressing, the good news is that you can do something about avoiding most of the problems. There is a multiplicity of illness which may or may not be related to your being over weight but here are five of the really nasty obesity related health risks.

Heart Disease. If you are obese your heart is working harder than if you are slim. You have more body mass which means more blood for your heart to pump around. Obese people have more cholesterol in their blood vessels which tends to clog their arteries. This can lead to heart failure due to oxygen loss as a result of a blocked artery.

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure). Weight gain increases the risk of high blood pressure which is associated with many other health issues.

Stroke. A stroke occurs when a blood clot or ruptured artery interrupts blood flow to an area of the brain. It can result in paralysis, difficulty speaking and other problems. One of the major causes of stroke is high blood pressure.

Type 2 diabetes. This is one of the most common illnesses associated with obesity and it is increasing year on year. You probably know somebody with type 2 diabetes. It is caused by insulin resistance – insulin is a hormone which delivers glucose to our cells. Fat cells are resistant to insulin which means that people who are overweight can have glucose circulating in the blood rather than being used as energy.

Dyslipidemia. A long name for a worrying condition which can be caused by obesity. Being over weight has a bad effect on lipid levels in the blood. Dyslipidemia occurs when bad cholesterol levels are high and good cholesterol levels low. Bad cholesterol can narrow the arteries and good cholesterol protects against heart attack. So we do not need excess of bad cholesterol.

These are just a few of the problems of obesity which can range from difficulty climbing the stairs to life threatening illnesses. But do not panic. A lot of obesity related health risks can be reduced or eliminated by just losing a few pounds. Of course you should discuss any problem with your doctor and of course in some cases medication will be needed. But you can make a big difference to your health and lifespan by just eating healthy food and exercising each day. You will look a lot better too.